PL T5.08Squeezing an Orange
The child presses and turns an orange half on a hand juicer, pours a small amount of juice into a small glass, and drinks it right away.
Safety
- Check the school's allergy list before offering this or any food work.
- Fresh-squeezed juice is unpasteurized, so the adult washes the whole orange before cutting, the child drinks the juice right away, and the school follows its licensing and food program rules on serving it.
- Serve a few sips, well under the AAP limit of 4 ounces (about 120 ml) of juice a day for children aged 1 to 3.
- Strain out seeds before the child drinks.
- The sharp knife used to halve the orange stays with the adult, out of the children's reach.
Where US guidance differs
The AAP (2017) strongly discourages unpasteurized juice for children and limits juice to 4 ounces (about 120 ml) a day at ages 1 to 3. Squeezing oranges is a common Montessori toddler work. This work keeps the juice: the orange is washed before cutting, the child drinks a few sips right away, and the school follows its licensing rules.
Presentation
- 1
Check the allergy list. Invite the child, wash hands together, and put on aprons.
- 2
Before the lesson, wash the whole orange under running water and cut it in half with a sharp knife out of the children's reach.
- 3
Hold the juicer base still with one hand. Place an orange half cut side down on the cone.
- 4
Press down and turn the orange back and forth. The juice running into the dish is the point of interest.
- 5
Lift the rind, put it in the bowl, and invite the child to juice the other half while you hold the base.
- 6
Hold the strainer over the glass and pour the juice from the dish into it, or hold the dish steady while the child pours.
- 7
The child sits and drinks the juice right away.
- 8
Wash the juicer and glass together, wipe the tray with the sponge, and compost the rinds.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- The child holds the juicer base with one hand and presses with the other
- Juice a clementine or lemon and compare the amount of juice
- Squeeze juice to share in two small glasses with a friend
Control of error
Juice left in the rind shows it was not pressed fully; seeds in the glass show the strainer was missed; juice on the tray shows a pouring error.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Presses and turns until most of the juice is out
- Holds the juicer base still with one hand
- Pours the juice into the glass with little spilling